Strength training for beginners

Tips for starting strength training for women

Defined upper arms, toned thighs and a tight bottom: many women want a well-shaped body. Are you one of them too? Then muscle building training is particularly important for you. But there are a few things to consider when starting weight training. Ninja Warrior Germany participant and personal trainer Sarah Kopp reveals in an interview which tips are particularly helpful for strength training beginners.

Do you find strength training exciting - but at the same time you don't really have the courage to get started yet ? You are not alone with this thought. After all, the range of exercises that you can use to specifically build muscle is huge.

As a three-time national champion and German runner-up in the women's fitness figure class, Sarah Kopp is very familiar with the subject of strength training. In the Factory Crefeld and her personal training studio, the Ninja Warrior participant looks after both advanced and beginners for whom targeted muscle building is still new territory. You can read what tips she has specifically for strength training beginners here.

@1RM Photography Eric Wittkopf

Tip one: Work on your technique

Mistakes creep in quickly - this applies to experienced strength athletes as well as to beginners. The correct technique is particularly important when strength training so that you can avoid injuries.

What exactly you have to pay attention to when doing it depends of course on the specific exercise you choose. For example, when doing deadlifts or squats: Make sure your torso is stable and keep your back straight. Sarah says: “The big problem for many beginners is that they are left alone in the gym or don’t ask for help.

For example, I often see that beginners who want to do barbell squats in the studio have a rounded back and totally stiff hips. Before you put a barbell or any weight on your back, you should first be able to perform the basic exercise perfectly - in this case the squat. Only when the basic technique is correct can you build on it and work with weight.

If I see customers performing exercises incorrectly, I won't give them a barbell anymore - until the basic technique is correct . For example, poor posture can lead to serious injuries.”

Sarah’s tip is therefore: “Let the fitness trainers in the studio give you detailed instructions and advice. Ask them to correct your posture and technique . Since mistakes quickly creep in if you complete an entire training plan alone as a beginner, you can alternatively or additionally book three to five training sessions with a personal trainer. He:she takes time for you and corrects you until you get the technique down.”

Tip two: Take care of yourself and don't overwhelm yourself

Just like exercises that are not done correctly , training with weights that are too heavy can lead to injuries such as tendon irritation. “In extreme cases, constant overuse can lead to tendon and muscle injuries,” emphasizes Sarah. “Fortunately, serious injuries usually do not occur immediately.

If you do something wrong while training, you will feel it - either directly during training, for example if you tear a muscle fiber in the form of a stabbing pain, or after training in the form of persistent muscle pain. After a certain period of time in which you continually put incorrect or excessive strain on yourself, it can quickly lead to muscle tension or lumbago.”

That's why it's important for Sarah to be careful with yourself - especially if you're new to strength training. She emphasizes: “During training, you usually don't immediately notice that you're not doing an exercise correctly or that you're overloading yourself - that only comes later, when you calm down a bit and listen to yourself. For example, if you exercise in the morning, your thigh may start to hurt in the evening.”

That's why it's important that at the end of the day, when your adrenaline levels drop, you take a short moment for yourself and listen to yourself. This ensures that you notice muscle pain early, which could indicate possible over- or incorrect strain. Especially with regard to you as a strength training beginner, Sarah emphasizes: “Make sure that you don’t start training straight away with too much weight and that you learn all the exercises properly first .”

Conversely, Sarah advises strength training beginners who want to improve their training performance but also to have healthy self-confidence: “On the other hand, don’t under-challenge yourself – just have confidence in yourself . Only if you put an appropriate amount of strain on your body will you sustainably increase your performance in sport . And don't be unsettled if you start training with a little less weight.

And: I know from experience that many women fear a 'stupid comment' or looks from male gym visitors. For this reason, I think special training areas for women in fitness studios are great – here you are among yourself, you don’t have to justify yourself and you can train in a relaxed manner.”

Tip three: Get out of the sitting position – even when doing strength training

The world of work is changing and the trend is moving more and more towards New Work . Nevertheless, many millions of people continue to spend most of their working day sitting in front of the computer. According to a study by the Cologne Institute for the German Economy (IW), at the end of 2018 , around 14.8 million people in Germany worked in office jobs and therefore mostly sat down . If you sit constantly at work and don't move enough in your free time, this can cause the muscles in your back to atrophy. This in turn can cause poor posture and back pain.

If you spend most of the day in front of the computer and are a strength training beginner, personal trainer Sarah advises: “ Adapt the training to your everyday life and find a balance to sitting. You rarely, if ever, have to lift heavy weight while lying on your back in everyday life. But that's exactly what you train with the bench press. However, you can often lift a case of water or beer from a standing position. If you're new to strength training, it's best to give up the bench press for now or at least start very slowly."

Sarah emphasizes: “I’m generally not a fan of equipment training. That's why I particularly recommend functional strength training, where you stand with both feet on the floor , to women who sit a lot at work. With exercises like the deadlift that are performed while standing, they get out of a sitting position and train their entire body or entire muscle chains, instead of individual, isolated muscles like with machine training.”

If you sit a lot, the best way to strengthen your back muscles is by doing deadlifts because it stretches your hips. This is the opposite of sitting. When deadlifting, you stand stably, bent forward, and lift a weight that is lying on the floor. If done correctly, you will specifically build muscles in your back and counteract back pain that can arise from sitting for long periods of time. A strong core is also important. It can be specifically trained during core training. With a stable core, you can cope better with the challenges of everyday life - such as carrying or lifting heavy things.

Tip four: Eat a high-protein diet

Proteins contribute to increasing and maintaining muscle mass. Studies show that a protein-rich diet is essential for strength training in order to significantly increase muscle growth. In addition, proteins help your muscles regenerate after strength training . You can supply your muscles with protein in the form of protein-rich foods that appear in delicious fitness recipes.

Sarah also advises: “Strength training beginners should supplement their diet with protein powder right from the start. The great thing about protein shakes is that they are easy to use. You can mix a shake quickly and easily and drink it after strength training. This way you give your muscles everything they need after exercise. Alternatively, or if you're not a fan of shakes, you can also stir some protein powder into low-fat quark - or snack on a protein bar like Cream'n Crunchy in delicious flavors like Peanut Caramel and Hazelnut Nougat after exercise.

My general recommendation for beginners in strength training is: Don't make your diet unnecessarily complicated by mixing supplements . Stick with basic protein powder for now. You can always add EAA and BCAA to your diet later. If you are unsure whether protein powder is right for you, you can also ask nutrition experts. They help you create a meal plan that fits your personal training goals .”

Getting started with strength training: professional tips for women

You see: Getting started with strength training is actually quite easy, even if you are still a beginner in strength training. Just follow our tips. Work on your technique, rely on functional training, don't over (or under!) challenge yourself - and above all: just dare!

 

A varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important.

SOURCES

Hammermann, A., & Voigtländer, M. (2020). IW Trends 3/2020. Office workers in Germany. Quarterly journal for empirical economic research, 47 (3), 61 – 78.